Call for unity to fix vocational education

Desperately-needed reform of Australia's vocational education and training sector can only occur if state and territory governments put political differences aside, federal Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has declared.

Senator Cash is urging the states and territories to work with the federal government on changes, after a recent review identified a spate of challenges in the VET sector.

The inquiry by former New Zealand tertiary education minister Steven Joyce found confidence in the sector is declining and that outcomes are inconsistent and not aligned with industry needs.

It also found the system is too complex for students to navigate.

"There is no question that we need to continue our path of reform," Senator Cash said on Wednesday.

"But meaningful change cannot be achieved without the states and territories joining us on this journey.

"Agreement has never been achieved through antagonism. It's time to put aside political differences and end the blame-shifting and find common ground."

The encouragement comes before premiers and chief ministers meet Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Cairns on Friday for the latest Council of Australian Governments meeting.

Government funding in the VET sector has also been declining, with the Commonwealth chipping in 12 per cent less between 2011/12 and 2017/18.

That drop can be largely attributed to reductions in incentives in 2012/13 which weren't improving skills outcomes, a clean-up of the VET fee-help scheme from 2016/17, and decreases in payments to states under a series of skills agreements.

States and territories invested 22 per cent less between the 2011 and 2017 calendar years.

"We need the VET system to work for everyone and we need it to work for them now," Senator Cash said.

"Industry is crying out for a nationally consistent and flexible system and we as governments need to match that with cooperation and delivery."